Moldova denies plans to host F-16s headed for Ukraine
3 Min Read
Moldovan Defense Minister Anatolie Nosatii says the false claims that F-16s headed to Ukraine would be based in Moldova only serve to "discredit the [Moldovan] Ministry of Defense."
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An undated image of Moldovan Defense Minister Anatolie Nosatii. (Social media)
"This information that F-16s would be based on the territory of the republic is inaccurate, and its purpose is to discredit the [Moldovan] Ministry of Defense. I condemn and dismiss these lies," Moldovan Defense Minister Anatolie Nosatii told a government briefing, on Wednesday, amid claims that F-16 fighter jets headed to Ukraine are to be based at the Marculesti air base, located in the north of Moldova.
This comes after NATO, on Wednesday, commenced its most extensive military exercise since the Cold War, marking a significant display of strength as a US warship set sail from the US to European alliance territory across the Atlantic.
Approximately 90,000 troops are set to participate in the months-long Steadfast Defender 24 exercise, a strategic move by NATO to evaluate and fortify its capabilities in light of Russia's ongoing conflict with Ukraine.
"The alliance will demonstrate its ability to reinforce the Euro-Atlantic area via trans-Atlantic movement of forces from North America," said General Christopher Cavoli, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander in Europe.
"Steadfast Defender 2024 will be a clear demonstration of our unity, strength, and determination to protect each other, our values, and the rules-based international order."
Heat on the Eastern flank
The simulation, designed to replicate the alliance's response to a potential attack, spans from North America to NATO's eastern flank near the Russian border, involving 50 naval vessels, 80 aircraft, and over 1,100 combat vehicles.
This exercise, unparalleled since the 1988 Reforger drill during the Cold War, reflects NATO's proactive approach to fortifying capabilities following the launch of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine in 2022.
The alliance has deployed thousands of troops in the eastern flank, implementing its most comprehensive defense plans since the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Ukraine FM: Give us weapons, no need to use your own troops
The cost of supporting Ukraine's troops as a force instead of Western troops is "minuscule compared to the overall US military budget," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitro Kuleba said in an interview with Bloomberg at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Kuleba has argued that this security investment serves the interests of the US military-industrial complex.
In contrast to some other countries considered "allies" of the US, Kuleba pointed out that Kiev is not requesting the deployment of troops on Ukrainian soil, effectively describing Ukraine's army as a proxy force.
Read more: Military aid to Ukraine 'ground to a halt'; US funding over: Kirby
